I have good news, and I have great news. The good news is: you don’t need to be Amazon to have your own rockstar affiliate program. The great news: I’m going to help you create your OWN affiliate marketing program for your digital product shop. Thank me later.

Why do I always talk about affiliate programs?

Even the most business-savvy influencer occasionally needs a network. No business is an island — and this is especially true of digital product shops. I’ll be honest: affiliate marketing programs are one of the best ways to sell more digital products. I’ve seen them work for my brand as well as others. That means more time for you to focus on other essential tasks in your business and, while you’re doing that, sales will still roll in. Huzzah for actually passive income.

I know that affiliate marketing can work for YOUR digital product shop, but I’m going to show you the 3 crucial steps you can take this week (or month!) to your program a total success.

Step #1: Create a designated affiliate information page on your website

This is one of the most important steps that most people miss or skip altogether. To really set a firm foundation for your affiliate program, you want to create a page on your site that explains your program to interested influencers. I have one for my affiliate program over at The Contract Shop® (no, you can’t copy my page but you can use it to guide your own).

Like airlines, these influencers have a choice on who they “fly” with. After you generate interest with your amazing product, you want to also sell them on the benefits of your affiliate program versus others. (Even if they absolutely love your product, your affiliate program should add a whole other layer to it.)

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel for your affiliate FAQ page, but make sure that it matches your tone and energy. Include some of the basic info, such as the criteria to join and your application link. 

You can also preemptively answer any questions your applicants may have, such as:

• When people click on the affiliate link, when will the audience be cookied (first visit, last visit, etc)?
• How long do cookies track purchases?
• What is the onboarding process like?
• What are the expected payout amounts?
• What is the payout schedule?
• How is the payout distributed (Paypal, wire transfer, etc)

Putting this info all on one easy-to-find page will significantly cut down on the amount of messages and emails you will receive regarding your affiliate program. For businesses already running on a lean team, that means more time for other tasks — and less frustration in answering the same questions over and over!

Having this handy FAQ page also sets the tone with your future affiliates. It shows that you have put real thought into the program and that you will take good care of them, because you’ve already started to do that before you even start working with them!

Step #2: Install a tracking software program or plug-in

Have you ever heard, “What doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done”? There’s some truth in that when it comes to affiliate marketing, too. 

Affiliate trackers come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have the same goal: to help you and your affiliates know what is working and what’s not. 

The best part? The tracking doesn’t just help you. These plug-ins can show the affiliates how many clicks they are getting, which products are getting the most interest from their audience, and how many people have purchased the product with their link. They can tailor their approach accordingly to emphasize the products that resonate most with their subscribers. 

Affiliates can also use these programs to double-check that their payouts are accurate, find their affiliate links, etc. These automated programs eliminate some of the error that manual tracking can have, which means your affiliates have more trust in your program overall. 

Over at The Contract Shop®, we use Tapfiliates and love them. However, play around with tools that have the features you need! 

Step #3: Create a resource portal for your affiliates

Once your affiliates register for your program, they will inevitably have questions. You don’t want to throw them into the deep water right away (and besides, that’s no way to start a good working relationship). 

Anticipate your affiliates’ needs by creating a one-stop shop for all the resources they will use during their campaigns. You can include assets like graphics, copies, swipe files, and anything else under the sun that they will need to be a successful affiliate. 

You can also include handy things like training information and community resources so that your affiliates always have this information available to them. This member area (or even a simple “round-up” email) can save you a lot of back-and-forth in your inbox, and your affiliates will be impressed by your vigilance. Impressed affiliates are happy affiliates, and happy affiliates are successful affiliates!

Your affiliates are waiting for you!

If you still doubt the power of an affiliate program, let me just say; we are halfway through the year, and we have already paid out $100,000 in affiliate commissions in 2021. That. Is. WILD!

Needless to say, I’m a big proponent of affiliate programs when it comes to growing your online store. They’re a great way to get your business noticed and to boost your sales overall. Plus, you get to network with some pretty cool people — and that’s always a good deal in my book. If you have any questions on how to set up your own affiliate program, I’d love to chat with you in the comments. And if you want to really understand why you NEED to start an affiliate program, I strongly encourage you to watch this video and leave a comment. I’m confident you’ll be a believer in no time!